RF on the TV side isn't a problem. Connect an antenna to the RF input on the TV and you will get 720p or 1080i HD with DD 5.1. , higher quality than cable or sat. Can give you. The makers of the boxes need to up their game.

Naturally, I always use real-time dub for movies I've edited the commercials from. Past experience has told me high-speed tends to be too fast to fully respect the edit spots. I've gotten a frame or two of the ads here and there.

Tried to dub from D*tV to my Mag 535 but am finding it not functioning. Somewhere I have read about D*TV allowing only copy once on its DVR machine...does this mean I cannot record from their machine to my Mag recorder? The show I want to record is The Hollow Crown series.

Analog RF channel 3/4 is the WORST quality connection, worse than VHS IMO. Your best bet would be S-video which is about DVD quality, unfortunately basically all modern equipment has omitted S-video and were lucky to get VHS quality composite. If you have a STB(vs a DTA) you should have composite output which is what I'd suggest, if you have a DTA it will more than likely only have RF3, again the worst quality connection. If this is the case I'd really look into a cable company supplied DVR(or Tivo or HTPC) to do all your recording and then for things you want to save, PLAY on the DVR and record realtime using the DVRs composite(I believe they all have composite) to your Magnavox. It will cost more money to rent the DVR but hey, thats your cable companies whole point of scrambling things requiring you use a STB, they want more money

Pardon my late offerings of thanks.

Sure enough a change in wiring/cabling has noticeably improved the picture quality. I should have known this. I suppose I lost sight of the forest while looking the trees. Thanks again.

Something must have been added to the D*TV software...no matter how I connect from their DVR, the S Video plug and Yellow RCA plug is not pulling in the video. I got the audio but not the video link.
I don't see any of the converter available that would convert from HDMI out to composite in. I used to be able to do this quickly, but now, am befuddled by it.
Has anyone else been challenged by recording from Satellite DVR to Maggie DVR?

Something must have been added to the D*TV software...no matter how I connect from their DVR, the S Video plug and Yellow RCA plug is not pulling in the video. I got the audio but not the video link.
I don't see any of the converter available that would convert from HDMI out to composite in. I used to be able to do this quickly, but now, am befuddled by it.
Has anyone else been challenged by recording from Satellite DVR to Maggie DVR?

Have you set the Video > Video Input to the correct type of cable? Hearing only audio is a classic symptom of an incorrect video setting.

Set for "S-Video in" if using S-Video (L1 or L2, whichever you're connected to). The default is "Video in" which is YWR RCA.

Your STB might have a setting also to allow "Out to VCR" or similar option?

Something must have been added to the D*TV software...no matter how I connect from their DVR, the S Video plug and Yellow RCA plug is not pulling in the video. I got the audio but not the video link.
I don't see any of the converter available that would convert from HDMI out to composite in. I used to be able to do this quickly, but now, am befuddled by it.
Has anyone else been challenged by recording from Satellite DVR to Maggie DVR?

Every HD cable box I've had the displeasure to use has blocked analog video output as long as any HDMI cable was connected between it and anything else. To use "my" current box with Mag requires HDMI to composite converter, then a composite splitter to enable Mag to record whatever it can tune directly on its tuner as well as whatever the cable box is tuned coming in on L1, and be able to watch something from the cable box directly on the TV while the Mag is recording from its tuner.

BHN also interrupts programs with a "press any button to continue watching this program" on its non-recorder HD boxes if no button has been pressed for approximately 3+ hours. IOW, if I want to be able to record a complete movie, I have be sure to press some remote button within 3 hours of the end of a recording, and the movie can't be longer than 3 hours.

BHN claiming "friend" in its advertising is lying hugely. It's a friend only in the direction of subscribers giving it too much money to do whatever it pleases. One must choose between watching any HD programs in HD, and being able to use his owned Magnavox recorder instead of renting a recorder that can't make DVDs, or having to switch HDMI cables and access only one program at a time.

An option I've not tried yet is an HDMI splitter, which I would hope to allow to watch HD off the box directly on the TV while using the HDMI to composite converter to get TV from the box into the Mag.

Something must have been added to the D*TV software...no matter how I connect from their DVR, the S Video plug and Yellow RCA plug is not pulling in the video. I got the audio but not the video link.
I don't see any of the converter available that would convert from HDMI out to composite in. I used to be able to do this quickly, but now, am befuddled by it.
Has anyone else been challenged by recording from Satellite DVR to Maggie DVR?

First, what model DirecTV DVR do you have?

Second, I have been using a number of HR2x DVRs for a very long time now and all the outputs are active simultaneously. I would suggest as a first attempt at troubleshooting, plug the DVR directly into your television bypassing the DVD recorder and see if the TV sees the video stream. If it does, then it's likely the setting in the DVD recorder, if it doesn't then you need to look into the DirecTV DVR as the source of the problem.

Thanks for the review. I will try again by removing the hdmi cable to get around it. My set up is D*TV HR 22-100>Yamaha AVR HDMI>Mag DVR>TV HDMI.
Guess I am thrown off as I didn't have this kind of tedious problem in the past.

Tried both L1 and L2. I may need to skip the AVR during the recording.

Wajo, the converters form HDMI to composite or S Video are not showing up in a consistent manner.

ADD ON EDIT: Hand Waves! I disconnected the HDMI between the D*TV DVR to Mag DVR, and used only S-Video and RCA audio and to monitor it used the Yellow video RCA. All is well so far! Thanks to all of the experts here...Now I can eventually dub to DVD later.

Something must have been added to the D*TV software...no matter how I connect from their DVR, the S Video plug and Yellow RCA plug is not pulling in the video. I got the audio but not the video link.
I don't see any of the converter available that would convert from HDMI out to composite in. I used to be able to do this quickly, but now, am befuddled by it.
Has anyone else been challenged by recording from Satellite DVR to Maggie DVR?

Does the D*TV box have to have a special setting engaged in order for the S-video and Yellow RCA line to work? [EDIT: Looks like that was already addressed.]

Also, what do you mean you don't see any converter that does HDMI to composite?

There are several at Amazon, including one that seems to be a version of the converter a lot of us got a while back. (Two of which I currently still use.)

Just make sure you're looking at an HDMI TO Composite, tho'. There are a few that go the other way around.

Every HD cable box I've had the displeasure to use has blocked analog video output as long as any HDMI cable was connected between it and anything else. To use "my" current box with Mag requires HDMI to composite converter, then a composite splitter to enable Mag to record whatever it can tune directly on its tuner as well as whatever the cable box is tuned coming in on L1, and be able to watch something from the cable box directly on the TV while the Mag is recording from its tuner.

BHN also interrupts programs with a "press any button to continue watching this program" on its non-recorder HD boxes if no button has been pressed for approximately 3+ hours. IOW, if I want to be able to record a complete movie, I have be sure to press some remote button within 3 hours of the end of a recording, and the movie can't be longer than 3 hours.

BHN claiming "friend" in its advertising is lying hugely. It's a friend only in the direction of subscribers giving it too much money to do whatever it pleases. One must choose between watching any HD programs in HD, and being able to use his owned Magnavox recorder instead of renting a recorder that can't make DVDs, or having to switch HDMI cables and access only one program at a time.

An option I've not tried yet is an HDMI splitter, which I would hope to allow to watch HD off the box directly on the TV while using the HDMI to composite converter to get TV from the box into the Mag.

You need to stop doing this. I don't know how many cable boxes you have owned, but every one that I have owned allows for more than one video output. You make it seem like the answer to the problem is hopeless or quite complicated when it MAY not be. When you post this, it it discourages the OP from finding a possible easy solution to their problem which quite possibly is a simple menu setting change. If that doesn't work THEN offer the more complex and expensive solution.

You need to stop doing this. I don't know how many cable boxes you have owned, but every one that I have owned allows for more than one video output. You make it seem like the answer to the problem is hopeless or quite complicated when it MAY not be.

I'm being realistic. It doesn't keep people from trying other suggestions, only from expecting a happy solution in every case.

All ever used locally have had multiple outputs, just like most historically have had non-locally. Due to BHN's derelict signal strength/quality and often repeated suggestion that a different box may be the salvation, the average time between box changes here for the past several years has been somewhere around 9 months. IIRC, the same brand hasn't succeeded the previous more than once. Changing the boxes only about twice has caused any apparent changes in the menus, and one of those was coincident with an advertised change that had been upcoming. The oldest one I remember, a Pace, derelict in many respects compared to newer boxes, but having welcome features missing from newer boxes (e.g. multiple composite outs, and option to not letterbox HD channels on analog outputs), may have been different from the recent ones, but cablecos change software, and BHN here has been anything but the friendly it claims to be in the changes it has made (e.g. "reminders" instead of timers, which allow other members in the household to take no notice the recorder is running and switch away from what a timer would have locked onto until program end). Its various flavors of Samsung and SA boxes for several years have played component and composite just fine only as long as a HDMI cable is not connected to it and something else at the same time, at which time analog video output from the cable box is blocked. Pulling the HDMI cable at either end turns the analog video right back on. Fishing through BHN cable box menus, with or without help from customer service on the phone or a visiting technician, changes nothing that matters, just like there's nothing in its menus to keep its boxes working continuously 24/7 (e.g. to allow uninterrupted 12 hour marathon recordings, or recording any complete program at all while sleeping more than 3 hours at a time), just like there's nothing you can do to ensure enough signal gets into the box during primetime to prevent blocking. Years of complaining and service calls never has made anything more than a brief improvement in signal, while its software has only grown better at pushing people to pay high rentals instead of using purchased equipment like our Mags.

Every HD cable box I've had the displeasure to use has blocked analog video output as long as any HDMI cable was connected between it and anything else. To use "my" current box with Mag requires HDMI to composite converter, then a composite splitter to enable Mag to record whatever it can tune directly on its tuner as well as whatever the cable box is tuned coming in on L1, and be able to watch something from the cable box directly on the TV while the Mag is recording from its tuner.

BHN also interrupts programs with a "press any button to continue watching this program" on its non-recorder HD boxes if no button has been pressed for approximately 3+ hours. IOW, if I want to be able to record a complete movie, I have be sure to press some remote button within 3 hours of the end of a recording, and the movie can't be longer than 3 hours.

BHN claiming "friend" in its advertising is lying hugely. It's a friend only in the direction of subscribers giving it too much money to do whatever it pleases. One must choose between watching any HD programs in HD, and being able to use his owned Magnavox recorder instead of renting a recorder that can't make DVDs, or having to switch HDMI cables and access only one program at a time.

An option I've not tried yet is an HDMI splitter, which I would hope to allow to watch HD off the box directly on the TV while using the HDMI to composite converter to get TV from the box into the Mag.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIGA$$TV

You need to stop doing this. I don't know how many cable boxes you have owned, but every one that I have owned allows for more than one video output. You make it seem like the answer to the problem is hopeless or quite complicated when it MAY not be. When you post this, it it discourages the OP from finding a possible easy solution to their problem which quite possibly is a simple menu setting change. If that doesn't work THEN offer the more complex and expensive solution.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Church AV Guy

First, what model DirecTV DVR do you have?

Second, I have been using a number of HR2x DVRs for a very long time now and all the outputs are active simultaneously. I would suggest as a first attempt at troubleshooting, plug the DVR directly into your television bypassing the DVD recorder and see if the TV sees the video stream. If it does, then it's likely the setting in the DVD recorder, if it doesn't then you need to look into the DirecTV DVR as the source of the problem.

I’m with you BIGA$$TV and Church AV Guy
Every cable box I hooked up had all video outputs active simultaneously.

-HDMI
-Component
- S-Video
- Composite

The only thing is that the HDMI and Component need to have the resolution and the refresh rate set the same with the boxes I tried.

Most Motorola and Pace boxes are designed to output HDMI into TV and s-video or composite into an external recorder simultaneously. Just about every Motorola box I had have two sets of analog L/R audio out – one set variable level for the TV and one set fixed level for the DVD recorder. Many of the boxes also have a feature to change the channel via the guide so you can record unattended.

Even my newest box Motorola DCX-3400-M will have HDMI, component, S-Video and composite all active at the same time – no matter what resolution you set for HDMI and component 1080i, 720p or native – the composite and S-video outputs will still output 480i simultaneously.

I know folks that have pace boxes and those also output video simultaneously.
In fact here is a diagram of a Pace box meant to be hooked up simultaneously to TV via HDMI and composite to recorder with simultaneous output.

So if your cable box won’t allow simultaneous video output it’s obviously shutdown by your local area provider and is not a limit of the cable box. But be aware as many of us posted – our cable or sat head ends do indeed allow running the box video outputs simultaneously and most boxes were designed to run all outputs simultaneously.

if your cable box won’t allow simultaneous video output it’s obviously shutdown by your local area provider and is not a limit of the cable box. But be aware as many of us posted – our cable or sat head ends do indeed allow running the box video outputs simultaneously and most boxes were designed to run all outputs simultaneously.

Probably all boxes were designed to output all simultaneously, just as all were designed for the cableco owner of the box to determine what the software in the box can or can't do, including keeping it on full time or not, and keeping all outputs enabled full time or not. From a user POV, all that matters is what he can do with the box, not what the box could have done when it left the manufacturer's factory, or what it might be able to do if the provider changed the software in the box.

I'm being realistic. It doesn't keep people from trying other suggestions, only from expecting a happy solution in every case.

All ever used locally have had multiple outputs, just like most historically have had non-locally. Due to BHN's derelict signal strength/quality and often repeated suggestion that a different box may be the salvation, the average time between box changes here for the past several years has been somewhere around 9 months. IIRC, the same brand hasn't succeeded the previous more than once. Changing the boxes only about twice has caused any apparent changes in the menus, and one of those was coincident with an advertised change that had been upcoming. The oldest one I remember, a Pace, derelict in many respects compared to newer boxes, but having welcome features missing from newer boxes (e.g. multiple composite outs, and option to not letterbox HD channels on analog outputs), may have been different from the recent ones, but cablecos change software, and BHN here has been anything but the friendly it claims to be in the changes it has made (e.g. "reminders" instead of timers, which allow other members in the household to take no notice the recorder is running and switch away from what a timer would have locked onto until program end). Its various flavors of Samsung and SA boxes for several years have played component and composite just fine only as long as a HDMI cable is not connected to it and something else at the same time, at which time analog video output from the cable box is blocked. Pulling the HDMI cable at either end turns the analog video right back on. Fishing through BHN cable box menus, with or without help from customer service on the phone or a visiting technician, changes nothing that matters, just like there's nothing in its menus to keep its boxes working continuously 24/7 (e.g. to allow uninterrupted 12 hour marathon recordings, or recording any complete program at all while sleeping more than 3 hours at a time), just like there's nothing you can do to ensure enough signal gets into the box during primetime to prevent blocking. Years of complaining and service calls never has made anything more than a brief improvement in signal, while its software has only grown better at pushing people to pay high rentals instead of using purchased equipment like our Mags.

The point I was trying to make is when someone asks for advice and then you post like an expert saying that EVERY box you've had won't simultaneously output, then the person assumes that his box won't. In this case the person immediately started researching converters when that solution should have been the last tried. Wouldn't it be better to just warn the poster that SOME boxes don't simultaneously output and that he MAY have one of those, but that he should try other solutions first?

The point I was trying to make is when someone asks for advice and then you post like an expert saying that EVERY box you've had won't simultaneously output, then the person assumes that his box won't. In this case the person immediately started researching converters when that solution should have been the last tried. Wouldn't it be better to just warn the poster that SOME boxes don't simultaneously output and that he MAY have one of those, but that he should try other solutions first?

Nobody's perfect. I suppose based on the actual report in this sub-thread I may have expected too much from the reader to think he would recognize any one person's experience with cable boxes has to be a relatively small sample size, such that that experience should be recognized as a possible outcome to be on the lookout for, rather than a more likely outcome. Testing for the condition of my experience is simple, just pull one end of the HDMI cable, and see if analog video appears in place of a blank screen that is accompanied by analog audio.

I use the MDR513H to record from the cablebox, recently started to get screen/video error message on recordings that HDTV is not HDCP compatible, use the YRB connections.

This does not happen all the time, about 50% of the time.

What is causing this message and is it coming from the cablebox or the MDR513H?

Anyone help please?

You have an odd setup that doesn't allow you to see HD on your 65" TV (unless you failed to mention that you have the STB also connected to the TV). Why not do what the message says? Connect the STB via HDMI to the TV (that way you get HD) and then connect the 513 to the STB via composite cables and then the 513 to the TV via HDMI. Then you can toggle the TV input to either the 513 or the cable box.

The only fly in the ointment would be if your set top box doesn't output both HDMI and composite at the same time. If not, then maybe connect the STB to the TV via component cables (still gets you HD).

The second Magnavox 2160 I bought three/four years ago has been sitting unused for several months after it's hard drive suddenly started to make a rather loud noise. I'd noticed a few weeks before that the drive sounded a bit louder than usual, but it wasn't until it really started screeching that I panicked and immediately stopped using it. I have a lot of programs recorded on the drive that were ready to be burned to DVDs, so it would be a pity to lose all that data.

As I said, I've been afraid to even fire up the machine. Does anyone have any advice how I can save what's on the drive before it completely fails on me? For the time being it was still working, but making a lot of noise. I was thinking if I remove the drive from the machine and go somewhere where they will clone it for me, maybe I can salvage something of what was recorded on it.

I really need advice on how to proceed. Any assistance would be deeply appreciated.

The second Magnavox 2160 I bought three/four years ago has been sitting unused for several months after it's hard drive suddenly started to make a rather loud noise. I'd noticed a few weeks before that the drive sounded a bit louder than usual, but it wasn't until it really started screeching that I panicked and immediately stopped using it.

It might not be the HDD making the noise. I had a cooling fan go bad and it made a horrible noise. Try turning the recorder on and switch the input to L3. If the noise continues it's probably not the HDD. You can test for a bad fan by covering the fan outlet with your hand. If the noise changes then it's probably the fan bearing going out.

It might not be the HDD making the noise. I had a cooling fan go bad and it made a horrible noise. Try turning the recorder on and switch the input to L3. If the noise continues it's probably not the HDD. You can test for a bad fan by covering the fan outlet with your hand. If the noise changes then it's probably the fan bearing going out.

Are you saying that switching the input to L3 would keep the hard drive from spinning, or what? If you disconnect the hard drive and then power on and the noise is there, then it obviously isn't the hard drive, and a squealing fan would be a likely candidate. But if a hard drive is really failing, especially in a spectacularly noisy way, every minute that it's powered on could be its last, or a least data could be irretrievably disappearing on a minute-by-minute basis.

OP: You should read up on hard drive data recovery before even powering the drive on. It might be possible (for example) to refrigerate the drive and then (while it's cold) power it on and immediately start cloning it with something like Gnu ddrescue, which is available on the Ubuntu Rescue Remix CD. If you haven't used ddrescue before, you should practice cloning something worthless before cloning your valuable drive, since time is data (lost).

Professional forensic data analysts favor ewfacquire and the rest of the tools from the libewf package over the ddrescues for cloning failing HDs. I have to think a reason for that would be easier use. I used one of the ddrescues once, and would welcome something friendlier myself.

Nobody answered my question yesterday on the length of a manual recording.

Well, I found out.

It's still 12 hours, like a manual recording.

I managed to get my other machine running just before the first one hit 12:00, and so I do have the full episode I was recording at that moment. (Gonna have to use my computer and do some splicing to make the two recordings one, but at least I got it all.)

So, for the record, for anyone else who'll need to know one day, there is a limit on the length of a recording...if the manuals don't say so.